10 May 2010

Syria: Pir Rostom released on bail

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Disappeared since 5 November 2009, Ahmed Mustafa Ben Mohamed, aka Pir Rostom, a Syrian Kurdish political activist and human rights defender, was released on bail on 27 April 2010. He is currently awaiting possible referral for trial on charges related to articles he published online.

Background

Ahmed Mustafa Ben-Mohammed, better known as Pir Rostom, 47, is a writer, political activist and human rights defender. He has written fourteen novels in Arabic and Kurdish; he is a member of the Central Committee of the Democratic Kurdish Party and member of the National Council of the Damascus Declaration

Pir Rostom has spent nearly 2 years living in Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, often traveling back and forth from Iraq to Syria and Lebanon. Following his return to Aleppo at the end of October 2009, he was disappeared on 5 November 2009 by plain clothed Political Security agent. Alkarama informed the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances of his disappearance on 19 January 2010. He was detained for nearly 2 months following his disappearance without any contact with his family or his lawyer, and in January 2010 was transferred to Aleppo Central Prison.

He has twice been previously arrested: in December 2007 following a public meeting of the National Council of the Damascus Declaration and in March 2008 in Afrin, his home town.

Mauritania - HR Instruments

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

ICCPR: Accessed on 17.11.2004
Optional Protocol: No

State report: Due on 01.11.2017 (2nd)
Last concluding observations: 20.11.2013

Convention against Torture (CAT)

CAT: Accessed on 17.11.2004
Optional Protocol: Yes
Art. 20 (Confidential inquiry): No
Art. 22 (Individual communications): No

State report: Due on 31.05.2017 (2nd)
Last concluding observations: 18.06.2013

International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CED)

CED: Ratified on 03.10.2012
Art. 33 (Inquiry procedure): Yes

State report: Overdue since 03.11.2014
Last concluding observations: N/A

Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

Last review: 11.2010 (1st cycle)
Next review: 2015 (2nd cycle)

National Human Rights Institution (NHRI)

Commission Nationale des Droits de l'Homme (CNDH) – Status A

Last review: 05.2011
Next review: 2016